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Quick to Listen

Should Christians ‘Believe in Science’ in the Midst of a Pandemic?

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3622 Ratings

🗓️ 29 April 2020

⏱️ 56 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. As governors across the U.S. consider whether to relax stay at home orders, many are pitting the words “politics” and “economics” against the word “science.” California Governor Gavin Newsom, for example, told the Los Angeles Times.“We are going to do the right thing, not judge by politics, not judge by protests, but by science.” And as Governor Brian Kemp opened up Georgia, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms urged people to “Follow the data, look at the science, listen to the health care professionals and use your common sense.” Similar calls to “believe in science” or “listen to science” are all over policy debates and social media fights. But what does it mean to “believe in science”? And does “science” have a unified answer to questions like “who gets a ventilator,” or whether your child should go to summer camp? We should be cautious when suggesting that science can speak in such a unified voice, says Sy Garte, a biochemist who has taught at New York University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Rutgers University. “The idea that ‘science says’—suggesting that it's easy to come up with a consensus, a uniform, finished version of what is true—that's a problem because that's very rarely the case,” said Garte, who is also the editor in chief of God and Nature, a magazine from the American Scientific Affiliation. “One of the things you find out if you're a working scientist is that almost every answer brings up new questions. So we never actually finish learning anything in any field of science. We are continually trying to get deeper and learn more.” Garte joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss the historic distrust between Christians and science, what science can and cannot answer, and how Christians should engage in conversations with neighbors who are suspicious of science. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Learn more about Sy Garte’s Book: The Work of His Hands Read Sy’s testimony Read CT’s coverage of the BioLogos’ Francis Collins event Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.

0:11.1

Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.

0:22.9

As governors across the U.S. consider whether to relax, stay-at-home orders, I've heard

0:28.4

many pitting it in the words politics and economics against the word science.

0:33.4

So in California, Governor Gavin Newsom, I told the Los Angeles Times, quote,

0:42.7

we were going to do the right thing, not judged by politics, not judged by protests, but by science.

0:48.9

And as Governor Brian Kemp opened up Georgia, you had Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms,

0:54.5

urge people to, quote, follow the data, look at the science, listen to health care professionals, and use your common sense. Similar calls to believe in science or, quote, listen to science are all over policy

1:01.1

debates. They are also all over social media fights on my timeline, and I'm sure yours as well.

1:08.7

Well, what does it mean to actually, quote, believe in science?

1:12.1

And does science have a unified answer to questions like who gets a ventilator or whether

1:17.5

your child should go to summer camp?

1:21.5

You are listening to Quick to Listen, where we go beyond hashtags and hot takes discuss a major

1:27.1

cultural event.

1:28.5

I'm Morgan Lee, digital media producer here at Christianity Today.

1:32.1

And I'm Ted Olson. I'm editorial director at Christianity today.

1:51.6

Morgan? Morgan, is this conversation on your timeline as well at all?

2:04.4

It definitely is, though, I have to say that I sometimes ignore things that I feel start to get past the point of engaging in discussion and born to the point, in my opinion, of making a point. You know, when you were reading these things of like,

2:10.1

believe in science or listen to science, kind of the reaction that I have to a little bit of that

2:14.5

is when people say, just follow what the Bible says.

2:27.4

And yes, but tell me more. Like, it doesn't actually give you enough, like, information about what you're supposed to do.

2:34.5

It's obviously not very nuanced way to look at something. But people definitely kind of seem to say both of these things with the same air of confidence and security. What you're saying is obviously correct, and you can have

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